Jasper Campise
Jasper "Jay" Campise (born 1916- died 1983) was a longtime soldier and hitman for the Chicago Outfit. He was heavily involved in illegal gambling and had close ties to the Kansas City crime family. Biography As a long-time member of good standing in the Rush Street crew, no one could ever accuse Campise of putting all his eggs into one basket. His hands were in numerous rackets. He helped manage a loansharking ring for rising mob leader "Milwaukee Phil" Felix Alderisio in the '60s. His partner in that operation was a younger Alderisio protégé named Anthony Spilotro, who was destined to be the Outfit’s Las Vegas caretaker from the early 70s to the mid 80s. By the early '80s, Campise was the day-to-day manager of Joseph "Caesar" DiVarco's bookmaking operation. He also had a hidden interest in charitable "Las Vegas Night" gambling at the Grand Plaza Hotel in suburban Rosemont. He also collected protection fees from North Side business owners/operators shaken down by the Rush Street crew. He owned and operated a storefront social club. It was a place where he hung out, played cards, and cooked regular meals for members of his crew. Campise was well known in mob circles inside as well as outside of the Windy City. By the '60s, he was considered a primary Outfit liaison with the Kansas City mob as a close ally of local Mafia boss Nicholas Civella. Campise was actually suspected of participating in some mob hits there in the late 50s. There was more than mere suspicion of his involvement in hits on his home turf, however. The FBI, for instance, long suspected his involvement in the torture-murder of bolita operator Santiago Rosa Gonzalez in 1958. Gonzalez clashed with Ken Eto during the Outfit's initial takeover of that racket and paid the ultimate price for standing up to the mob. That wasn't the only local murder in which he was a suspect. Another murder he was involved in was that of a friend named Dominic P. "Hunk" Galiano, who was gunned down on the night of March 10, 1966. Attempted murder of Ken Eto In 1983, Vincent Solano ordered Joseph DiVarco to murder Outfit gambling boss Ken Eto. Eto had recently been convicted on gambling charges and Solano was worried about him testifying for the authorities. Campise and John Gattuso, a Cook County, Illinois sheriff's deputy, ambushed Eto in his car and shot him three times in the head. However, the two men had improperly packed their own ammunition and the shots did not penetrate Eto's skull. Eto survived and became a government witness. In retribution for the botched hit, DiVarco was stripped of his power and the two hit men were murdered. Death In July of 1983, shortly after making bond, the 67 year old Campise and 48 year old Gattuso were reported missing. Two days later, on a Thursday night, police were notified of a bad smell coming from an abandoned car. Campise's Volvo was left abandoned in the parking lot of the Pebblewood condominium complex located at 55070 Pebblewood Lane in suburban Naperville. Officers arrived and opened the trunk, inside were Campise and Gattuso. It has been long believed that Outfit boss Joseph Aiuppa gave the order to have them killed for bungling the Eto hit. Acoording to some sources John DiFronzo stabbed both men repeatedly while Sam Carlisi strangled Gattuso with a rope. It has also been alleged that Outfit heavies Joseph Ferriola and Ernest "Rocco" Infelise were present and held the men as they were brutally beaten, stabbed and strangled. The murders were exceptionally brutal to send Outfit enforcers a clear message not to mess up a hit. Category:Chicago Outfit Category:Hitmen Category:Murdered Mobsters